COVER LETTERS Cover Letter Template Cover letters serve as

COVER LETTERS Cover Letter Template Cover letters serve as an introduction to accompany your résumé. Always send a cover letter along with your résumé when responding to a job opening or requesting information about a job possibility. In many cases, the cover letter can be sent along with your résumé via email. However, cover letters are not necessary for Career Fairs, on SYMPLICITY or, in many cases, if your résumé is submitted online, unless specifically requested. A well written cover letter is often the first opportunity you have to communicate with a potential employer and is sometimes used as a screening device. Take time to carefully prepare and proofread your cover letter and customize it for the job you are applying to. A general outline of a cover letter is provided below. Your street address City, State ZIP Date Mr./Mrs. Name of Person Title Company/Organization Street Address City, State, ZIP Dear Mr./Mrs. Last Name: First Paragraph. In your initial paragraph, state the reason for the letter, the specific position or type of work for which you are applying and indicate from which resource you learned of the opening. Second Paragraph. Indicate why you are interested in the position, the company, its products or services. If you are a recent graduate, explain how your academic background makes you a qualified candidate for the position. If you had some practical work experience (i.e. internships, class projects), point out the specific achievements or unique qualifications. Be specific. Final Paragraph. In the closing paragraph, refer the reader to the enclosed résumé or application blank, which summarizes your qualification, training, and experiences. Further, indicate your desire for a personal interview and your flexibility as to the time and place. Repeat your phone number and email address in the letter and offer any assistance to help in a speedy response. Finally, close your letter with a statement that will encourage a response. Sincerely, Your Signature Your Name Enclosure (1) 12 BUSINESS ETIQUETTE Sample Cover Letter Mr. John Doe ABC Consulting Firm 123 Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 61601 (312) 123-4567 E-mail Cover Letter Etiquette Applicants who create a professional e-mail cover letter have an advantage over an applicant with a less formal note. Since e-mail tends to be conversational and quickly written, there is a tendency to just type off a few lines and attach a file. However, e-mail cover letters should contain the same information as written letters, but they should be shorter – only two to three paragraphs. Here are a few other tips: • Don’t fill in the ‘to’ field with the recipient’s email address until you’ve finished writing and editing the cover letter and résumé. This prevents you from accidentally sending off the message before it’s ready. • Follow up an e-mailed cover letter and résumé with a hard copy that you mail. Be sure to mention that you recently e-mailed your résumé and that you are following up with a hard copy. If responding to an ad or job posting, use the job title and/or noted reference number as the subject of your message. • Mention the attached résumé file in your cover letter. It’s a good idea to also indicate the program that you used to create your attachment. Some recruiters also suggest that you include a text only version of your résumé just in case they don’t have the software to open your attachment. You cannot use bolds, underlines, or bullets in a plain text document, so consider substituting bullets with asterisks (*) or plus signs at the beginning of lines and follow the * by a space. Use a series of dashes to separate sections. Use capital letters instead of bold. • Open the résumé attachment before you send it to make sure it is the right file, and to make sure it is error-free. • In the conclusion of your e-mail, ask the recruiter to send you an e-mail confirming s/he received your cover letter and résumé. • Blind copy yourself on what you send. This will allow you to resend the file if a problem arises or if you want to follow up. September 4, 2007 Dear Mr. Doe, I am very interested in obtaining a Business Associate position within ABC Consulting. My interactions with ABC Consulting employees both at the University of Illinois Career Fair, and during the Consulting Employer Forum held last fall have convinced me that ABC Consulting would be an outstanding place to work, and would provide me with opportunities to utilize my skills in the consulting industry. I thrive on a challenge and look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with top business leaders. Strong self-motivation has driven me to seek a wide variety of experiences throughout my college career. By participating in the Walt Disney World College Program and studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, I have had the opportunity to hone my communication skills and enhance my ability to work with a diverse group of people. I feel that these skills are integral to consulting because of the importance of teamwork and strong client relationships. Furthermore, through my internships I have developed tactics to analyze business issues by researching and reviewing data. I will continue to strengthen these skills as a student consultant with Illinois Business Consulting this semester. With my analytical background and strong communication skills, I feel that I would be a great candidate for your Business Associate program. I have enclosed my résumé for your review. Thank you for considering me for the Business Associate position. Please contact me at joe@uiuc.edu or 847.123.4567 if you have any questions or to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Joe Consultant Joe Consultant 13